I love free apps. Who doesn’t love getting something for nothing? There’s just one problem: on the other side of that download link, every developer has to choose whether to charge money for their app, or offer it for free and find some other way to make money. And when we refuse to pay, we make that decision for…

Greasemonky (Chrome/Firefox/Opera/Safari/Android): The Windows download world is in a sad state. Tons of download sites, including popular ones like Sourceforge and Adobe, bundle extra crapware with their installers. AntiAdware is a simple script that blocks these, so you don’t have to worry about getting tricked.

Macs are bundled with a ton of software. Some of it is awesome, but some of it's overly basic. That's the catch with a lot of default Mac software: it's easy, but the second you want to do something more with it, you're out of luck. So, we've compiled a list of our favorite replacements for the usually workable, but…

Windows has a lot going for it, but it's also saddled with one of computing's biggest annoyances: crapware. Here's everything you need to know about identifying, avoiding, and removing unwanted software from your system.

Windows: Microsoft's operating system usually comes with a bundle of pre-installed apps, but Windows 8 took it to a whole new level. If you want to clear out some of the crap, Win 8 App Remover can help.

Whether you're talking about pre-built PCs, Android phones, or other gadgets, pre-installed software often gets a bad rap. But just because it's pre-installed doesn't mean it's bloat—every once in awhile, you get a gem you might not otherwise have seen.

Dear Lifehacker,I recently got a new laptop that came with Windows pre-installed, but it came with a lot of extra bloatware I'd rather not have. Can I do a clean install of Windows over it, or will my product key not work with a vanilla install?

Windows/Web: Should I Remove It? explains what those mysterious processes are in the Windows task manager, shows you what those unlabeled applications are in your programs list, and lets you know if they're safe to stop, uninstall, or delete, all with a single click.

Windows: Even the most careful among us can sometimes fall prey to crapware, and when that happens, you could spend quite awhile trying to uninstall every last bit of it. AdwCleaner makes that process dead simple, by finding all the pieces and deleting them for you.

Have you ever installed a program only to find that it came with some ridiculous, hidden crapware like the Ask.com toolbar? Don't feel bad, the installer probably tricked you into installing it. Weblog FreewareGenius details the most common tricks companies use, and how to avoid each one.

Whether it comes bundled with your computer, bundled with other software, or is just the go-to program for a specific task, the Windows ecosystem is rife with oft-used, yet craptastic software. We asked you what your most hated Windows apps are, and you gave us tons of shudder-inducing examples. We've compiled your…

Whether you install it accidentally or it's something you're told you "need", there's a lot of crappy software out there—and many of us use it without thinking. What are your most hated Windows apps that people say you "need"?

Google Instant's handy keyboard shortcuts let you quickly open the first result in searches by simply hitting the Enter key, but since Google highlights sponsored results as the first result, an overly trigger-happy Enter key can dump you to a bum result rather than the legitimate first result. As tech site How-To…

We've all heard of worms, Trojan horses, phishing, and other common computer security attacks that aims to infect your system and steal your data. But what about bluebugging, smishing, and scareware? Brush up on your computer security terminology with these lesser-known attackers.

Your printer's manufacturer doesn't want you to use your printer to just print and scan. They want to install bloated apps, eat memory, and to constantly nag you for more ink. Trim your printer setup to the minimum with this five-step guide.

Windows only: It's no secret that the iTunes installer loads up your system with extra components you probably don't need, and there's no way to opt out—unless you crack open the install file, that is.